Review: Ladyfang, Ladyfang

Ladyfang's vampire act, bracing as an Anne Rice villain if Anne Rice villains performed in drag, stars Cara Juan, not-so-secret theatre kid (catch her in an upcoming Dracula at Albuquerque's Vortex Theatre). Juan's blast radius spews furthest in person, emulated with coiled and rattling tension deep within on "Volcano," like the jiggly bit on a pressure cooker. "We consider ourselves more of a live band," said Rocky Joseph, a drummer with roots in Pakistan's metal scene. Translated to a record, bandleader Juan, and Ladyfang broadly, electrifies Eighties post-punk with buoyant pop sparkle, hiding stashes of guitar solos like secret love letters ("Hotel"). Crystal clear, catchy, and dynamic, guitarist Brett Marcom counts English New Wave act the Sound among favorites, and Ladyfang's boogie capsules time-release in similarly complex ways. Marcom chimes and lingers alongside Tyler "Chocolate" Schutte on bass, as Juan sings about self-sacrifice and cracks on the kitchen floor as much as dancing until she feels no pain. The group nods to Van Halen ("Like New"), veers alternative, and flashes pockets of heavy metal ("DCL"). Starring bruised, bloody, and swollen on the album cover, the quartet packs over a half-hour with sessionable, agile genre surfing.